IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


11.25 


Li|2j8    12.5 
itt  llL2   122 


us 

US 

u 


—    6" 


PhotDgraiinc 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STMIT 

WEBSTn,N.Y.  UStO 

(716)  •72-4503 


^'^2^'' 


^^ 


4^ 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHIVl/iCIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  iVIicroreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiquee 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  tachniquas  at  bibliographlquaa 


The 
to  t 


Tha  Inatituta  haa  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  baat 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Faaturaa  of  thia 
copy  which  may  ba  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  tha  imagea  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  uaual  method  of  filming,  are  checlced  below. 


Q 


n 


n 


Coloured  covera/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


r~n   Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommagia 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurAe  at/ou  peiliculte 

Cover  title  miasing/ 

La  titre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  giographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bieue  ou  noire) 


I      I   Coloured  platea  and/or  iiiustrationa/ 


n 


Planches  et/ou  iiiustrationa  en  couleur 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
RelM  avac  d'autres  documenta 


Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  liure  serr^e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  la  long  de  la  marge  int^rieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pagea  blanches  ajouttes 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissant  dens  la  taxte, 
mala,  lorsqua  cela  Atait  poasible,  ces  pagea  n'ont 
pea  6tA  filmtea. 

Additional  commanta:/ 
Commentairea  supplAmantairas: 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  la  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  4tA  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
da  cat  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-Atre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographiqua,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  rartroduita,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dana  la  m^thoda  normala  de  filmage 
aont  indiqute  ci-daaaoua. 


r~~|   Coloured  pagea/ 


D 


Pagea  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pagea  endommagtes 

Pagea  reatorad  and/oi 

Pagea  rastaurAea  at/ou  pelliculAea 

Pagea  discoloured,  stained  or  foxe( 
Pages  d^coiortes,  tachat^es  ou  piqutea 

Pagea  detached/ 
Pagea  d^tachtea 

Showthroughy 
Transparence 

Quality  of  prir 

Quality  InAgala  de  I'impression 

includes  supplementary  materli 
Comprend  du  material  suppi^mantaira 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seuie  Mition  diaponibia 


I — I  Pages  damaged/ 

I — I  Pagea  reatorad  and/or  laminated/ 

rTTJ  Pagea  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 

I     I  Pagea  detached/ 

r~7]  Showthrough/ 

I     I  Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I     I  includes  supplementary  material/ 

I — I  Only  edition  available/ 


The 
pos 
oft 
film 


Ori( 

beg 

the 

sior 

oth( 

first 

sior 

or  il 


The 
shal 
TINl 
whii 

Map 
diffi 
entii 
begi 
righi 
requ 
metl 


Pagea  wholly  or  partially  obacurad  by  errata 
slips,  tissuea,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Lea  pagea  totaiament  ou  partieliement 
obacurciaa  par  un  fauillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  M  filmtea  A  nouveau  de  fa9on  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  poaaibla. 


Thia  item  la  filmed  at  tha  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  fllmA  au  taux  da  rMuction  indiquA  ci-deaaoua. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

>/ 

12X 


16X 


20X 


UX 


28X 


32X 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Nova  Scotia  Public  Archives 


L'exemplaire  filmi  fut  reproduit  grAce  A  la 
g6n6ro8it6  de: 

Nova  Scotia  Public  Archive* 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  -^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  6ti  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  netteti  de  l'exemplaire  film6,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 

Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimis  sont  filmis  en  commen9ant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
d«rnidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration.  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmds  en  commen^ant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparattra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  --►  signifie  "A  SUIVRE  ".  le 
symboie  V  signifie  "FIN". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc..  peuvent  dtre 
filmte  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diffirents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clichd,  il  est  f\\vn6  A  partir 
de  Tangle  sup6rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  i  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas.  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nicessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m6thode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

\»»'  -j^ii^'^i^^  J-i-'.l, 


m 


■■.-■-iV 


■X 


Itrdbtm  if  -tea  S«iii|,  •  :^X^.^^ 


vv*7a-.'^ 


'.-,-., j;.>K'-''V'  ■ 


-.1  !  T 

■   f  *>'  ■ 


A  NEW   EDITiaN 


OF 


P»ART  I. 


A   DISSERTATION   ON  THB   MOST  CU|lIOtJS  AND  IM-PpRTANT 
.    ART  OP  IBfPARTING'  SPKBCH  AND  THB  KNQ^tri^BDQB  ^ 
OF  I^ANGUAGB  TO  THE  NATURAXtV  DBAF 
AND  (C0NSKQU»NTI,V)   DUMB 

v  .  ,    '  ■.-,■" 

.    ■    *  ''■■*■-  ■.■■"'■■*  ■,    ■  ■        .       •  .  ■  ■       ,  < 

*•■■■';■•"  -    ■   '    '  --'.>,'  '■"'■' 

By  FRANCIS  GRE^N 

^  [Lo«r^x,  1788] 


,  POBWSHBD  BY 

THE  BOSTON  PARENTS'  EDUCATION:  ASSOCIATION 

FOR  PEAF  CHILDREN  . 

.    ,  1897 


S3S 


;'i 


■i^i 


it  I 


A  NEW    EDITION 


OF 


VOX  OCULIS  SUBJECTA 


PART   I. 


A    DISSERTATION    ON    THE    MOST    CURIOUS    AND    IMPORTANT 
ART  OF    IMPARTING   SPEECH   AND   THE   KNOWI^EDGE 
OF    IvANGUAGE  TO  THE    NATURAI^I^Y    DEAF 
AND  (consequently)    DUMB 

By  FRANCIS   GREEN 

[London,  1783] 


I'UBIJSHED    BY 


THE  BOSTON  PARENTS'  EDUCATION  ASSOCIATION 

FOR  DEAF  CHILDREN 

1897 


PRESS  OF  C.  W.  CALKINS  &  CO., 

No.  62  Purchase  Street, 

Boston,  Mass. 


Pubk  hichym  or  Nova  Scoiid 


PREFACE. 


"Vox  Oculis  Subjccta"  was  the  motto  of  Messrs.  Braid- 
wood,  at  whose  school,  in  Edinburgh,  Mr.  Francis  Green's 
son  received  his  education,  and  was  adopted  as  the  title  of  his 
book  on  the  education  of  the  deaf. 

The  original  work  was  in  three  parts,  viz. : 

"A  dissertation  on  the  most  curious  and  important  art  of 
imparting  Speech  and  the  Knowledge  of  Language  to  the  nat- 
urally Deaf  and  (consequently)  Dumb." 

"A  particular  account  of  the  Academy  of  Messrs.  Braid- 
wood  of  Edinburgh,"  and 

"A  proposal  to  perpetuate  and  extend  the  benefits  thereof." 

Three  copies  of  Vox  OcuUs  Suhjecta  are  still  known  to  be 
in  existence.  Harvard  College  has  one;  one  is  in  the  Boston 
Public  Library,  and  the  Volta  Bureau  at  Washington,  D.  C, 
has  the  third. 

The  Dissertation  contains  so  much  of  real  value  that  it  has 
been  deemed  worthy  of  rescue  from  oblivion;  although  written 
more  than  one  hundred  years  ago,  it  is  just  as  useful  now  as 
then,  and  it  is  again  sent  forth  on  its  mission. 

This  little  pamphlet  containing  the  substance  of  Mr.  Green's 
essay  has  been  prepared  especially  for  circulation  among 
parents  of  deaf  children,  and  his  thoughts  alone  are  presented; 
numerous  quotations  contained  in  the  original  work  being 
entirely  omitted.  Slight  changes  only  have  been  made  in  the 
style  and  phraseology  of  the  essay,  it  being  thought  best  to 
make  these  extracts  from  the  writings,  of  this  remarkable  man 
as  nearly  like  the  original  work  as  possible. 


E.  W.  E.  TOMPSON. 


Boston,  November  loth,  1897. 


FRANCIS  GREEN. 


The  following  sketch  of  the  life  of  Francis  Green,  author  of 
"Vox  Oculis  Subjccta,"  is  taken  from  an  article  published  by 
Dr.  Samuel  A.  Green,  and  used  with  his  kind  permission, 

Francis  Green  was  the  earliest  American  to  call  public  at- 
tention in  this  country  to  the  importance  of  educating  the 
Deaf  and  Dumb. 

He  was  born  in  Boston,  August  21st,  1742,  atld  was  the  son 
of  Benjamin  and  Margaret  (Pierce)  Green.  He  received  his 
early  education  partly  in  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia,  and  partly 
at  Mr.  Lovell's  school  in  Boston,  from  which  he  was  admitted 
into  Harvard  College  in  the  summer  of  1756.  His  collegiate 
course  was  only  a  partial  one,  as  circumstances  beyond  his 
control  compelled  him  to  take  leave  at  the  expiration  of  his 
Freshman  year.  He  was  allowed,  however,  to  take  the  bache- 
lor's degree  with  his  class,  a  favor  extended  only  in  extraor- 
dinary cases. 

The  year  preceding  his  entrance  into  college  his  father  had 
procured  for  him  an  ensign's  commission  in  the  40th  Regi- 
ment, with  the  understanding  that  he  should  have  leave  of 
absence  until  he  should  have  completed  his  studies. 

In  1757  orders  came  from  the  commander-in-chief  of  the 
King's  forces,  that  all  officers,  without  regard  to  rank,  should 
join  their  respective  corps,  on  account  of  the  war  with  France. 
On  the  reception  of  this  news,  he  repaired  immediately  to  his 
regiment  at  Halifax,  with  the  expectation  that  his  leave  of 
absence  would  be  renewed;  but  in  this  he  was  disappointed. 

He  now  determined  to  connect  his  future  with  that  of  the 
army. 

In  1765  he  went  to  England,  and  the  next  year  sold  his  com- 
mission in  the  army,  having  honorably  served  his  country  nine 
years. 


6 


October  i8,  1769,  he  married  his  cousin,  Susannah,  daugh- 
ter of  Joseph  and  Anna  (Pierce)  Green. 

They  had  five  children,  of  whom  three  died  in  early  child- 
hood. 

After  leaving  the  army  he  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits 
in  his  native  town. 

During  the  impending  revolutionary  struggle  his  sympa- 
thies were  with  the  mother  country,  and  he  deemed  it  expe- 
dient to  quit  Boston,  which  he  did,  at  its  evacuation  by  the 
British,  in  March,  1776.  He  went  to  Halifax  and  thence  the 
next  year  to  New  York,  where  he  remained  till  1780,  when  he 
departed  for  England. 

While  residing  in  New  York  one  of  his  boys  was  shockingly 
burned  and  died  in  a  few  hours.  Charles  and  Susannah  were 
the  names  of  his  remaining  children,  and  the  former  was  the 
immediate  occasion  of  his  interest  in  the  education  of  the 
Deaf  and  Dumb. 

At  an  early  age  the  child  was  discovered  to  be  a  deaf  mute ; 
and  in  1780 — at  that  time  eight  years  old — he  was  placed  at 
the  Academy  of  the  Braidwoods  in  Edinburgh,  which  had 
acquired  a  high  reputation  as  an  establishment  for  instructing 
such  children;  and  he  remained  nearly  six  years.  The  boy 
when  he  was  placed  there,  could  not  articulate  a  syllable,  nor 
had  he  an  idea  of  the  signification  of  a  word.  With  his  im- 
provement the  father  was  particularly  pleased,  and  the  im- 
portance of  educating  the  deaf  and  dumb  made  a  deep 
impression  on  his  mind. 

In  1783  while  residing  in  London,  and  while  his  son  was  yet 
at  school  in  Edinburgh,  he  published  a  volume  entitled:  "Vox 
O.^nUs  Subjecta:  A  Dissertation  on  the  most  curious  anH  im- 
''i^i  ta.it  Art  of  Imparting  Speech  and  the  Knowledge  of  Lan- 
iT-uage  to  the  naturally  Deaf  and  (consequently)  Dumb.  With 
I,,  f  .inicular  Account  of  the  Academy  of  Messrs.  Braidwood, 
of  Edinburgh;  and  a  proposal  to  perpetuat^e  and  extend  the 
Benefits  thereof.    Written  by  a  Parent.    London,  1783."  8vo. 

Leaving  England  in  1784,  Mr.  Green  took  up  his  residence 
in  Halifax,  where  he  lived,  filling  several  important  offices; 
among  them  that  of  high  sheriflf  for  the  county,  till  1797. 

We  next  find  him  at  Medford,  Massachusetts,  where  he 


/^^ 


appears  to  have  devoted  his  leisure  hours  to  advocating  in 
journals  the  importance  of  educating  the  deaf  and  dumb,  and 
endeavoring  to  enlist  public  sympathy  in  their  behalf.  Some 
of  his  articles  may  be  found  in  the  Boston  papers,  particularly 
the  New  England  Palladium  for  the  year  1803. 

He  "translated,"  as  he  states  in  a  journal  and  autobiograph- 
ical sketch  which  he  left,  "the  whole  of  the  Abbe  de  I'Epee's 
work  on  the  manner  of  his  instructing  the  deaf  and  dumb,  en- 
titled 'Institution  des  Sonds  et  Muets.'  "  The  degree  A.  M. 
was  conferred  upon  him  in  1790  by  Harvard  College. 

He  died  at  Medford,  Massachusetts,  April  21st,  1809. 


PREFACE  TO  VOX  OCULIS  SUBJECTA. 


Politics  and  party  views  which,  at  this  day,  occupy  and 
engross  the  minds  of  so  many,  have  no  place  or  share  in  this 
unambitious  publication;  of  course,  prejudices  and  resent- 
ments on  that  ground  cannot  be  provoked. 

A  great  part  of  this  essay  being  obviously  either  compila- 
tion and  quotation,  or  narrative;  it  must  necessarily  be  appar- 
ent that  literary  fame  cannot  be  its  object. 

It  is  neither  an  attempt  at  composition,  nor  at  criticism;  but 
without  ostentation,  hath  its  origin  in  the  simple  principles  of 
sympathy  and  philanthropy. 

The  primary  motive  is  an  ardent  solir-tr'de  that  the  benefits 
of  an  ingenious  method,  new  in  exten:  factice  if  not  new 
in  theory,  of  infinite  importance  to  man^  mr'vM.uals,  may  be 
universally  realized. 

Having  myself  collaterally  experienced  the  ineffable  satis- 
faction consequent  on  its  practicability,  I  am  urged  by  an 
impatience  kindled  by  social  aflfection,  to  communicate  the 
consolation  to  all  others  who  may  ever  be  in  the  same  predic- 
ament. 

This  although  a  secondary  is  not  a  small  inducement. 

The  editor  is  not  unapprised  that  several  treatises  have  been 
published  on  this  art,  in  the  last  century,  by  men  of  distinc- 
tion in  the  literary  world,  viz. :  Dr.  Amman  of  Amsterdam,  Dr. 
John  Wallis,  and  Dr.  William  Holder  (by  the  two  former  in 
Latin); and  also  by Bulwerin  EngUsh.  They  are  all  now  be- 
come rare  books,  and  hardly  to  be  met  with,  as  he  hath  ex- 
perienced. The  subject  is  also  touched  upon  in  a  late  essay, 
entitled,  "Elements  of  Speech,"  by  J.  Herries  A.  M.,  1773. 

Extracts  from,  or  translations  of,  particular  parts  of  each 
are  inserted  in  the  body  of  this;  but  neither  of  them  had  alto- 


9 


gether  the  same  grounds  nor  the  same  points  in  view  with 
this.     Nor  did  they  flow  from  the  feelings  of  a  parent. 

That  an  art  tending  effectually  to  rescue  a  certain  propov- 
Hon  of  the  human  species  in  every  age,  and  in  every  country, 
from  idleness,  ignorance,  and  ivretchedness  may  be  perpetu- 
ated, and  its  benefits  happily  extended  to  every  possible  sub- 
ject, is,  it  is  conceived,  of  no  trifling  consequence  to  society 
collectively.  To  those  who  are  or  may  be  born  deaf  especially, 
and  their  immediate  connections,  it  must  be  deemed  inval- 
uable. 

If  the  cultivation  of  the  human  mind  be  the  pursuit  and  end 
of  philosophy;  if  the  salvation  of  the  soul  be  the  use,  object 
and  glory  of  theology,  divines  and  philosophers  will  at  least 
give  credit  for  the  intention,  which  is  always  the  best  apology 
for  the  most  indifferent  performance. 

To  convince  the  world  of  the  practicability  of  this  extraor- 
dinary art  incredible  to  many,  and  to  endeavor  to  prevent  its 
being  lost,  like  many  other  arts,  after  having  been  brought 
to  perfection;  to  excite  the  attention  of  the  public  to  a  plar 
which  if  the  rational  nature  is  superior  to  the  animal,  hath 
objects  the  most  interesting  and  affecting,  is  the  ultimate  de- 
sign of  this  publication. 

Should  this  prove  the  means  of  one  only  of  the  human 
race,  in  whom' Hhe  particle  of  the  divinity'' \s,  inherent,  being 
raised  from  an  humiliating,  most  melancholy  state  by  nature, 
and  added  to  the  number  of  conversible  and  happy  intellectual 
beings,  not  only  the  application  it  hath  cost  will  be  abundantly 
compensated  for,  but  the  hours  expended  herein  will  ever  be 
•considered  amongst  the  most  usefully  employed,  as  well  as  the 
most  important  and  valuable  of  those  bestowed  by  Providence 
-.upon 

THE  AUTHOR. 
March,  1783. 


INTRODUCTION  TO  VOX  OCULIS  SUBJECTA. 


Man  as  a  social  being  has  an  irresistible  propensity  to  com- 
municate with  his  species,  to  receive  the  ideas  of  others,  and 
to  impart  his  own  conceptions;  this  natural  disposition  for 
society  and  conversation  is  very  early  apparent  in  infancy,  and 
as  "Nature  never  gravitates  to  nought"  it  hath  universally  pro- 
vided the  means  of  fulfilling  its  dictates  (except,  perhaps,  in 
the  comparatively  few  instances  of  idiots);  that  is,  it  hath  be- 
stowed mpacities  for  gradually  acquiring  all  such  habits  and 
faculties  as  are  requisite  and  convenient  to  us,  or  conducive 
to  its  own  purposes.  In  some,  those  natural  capacities  or  ca- 
pabilities are  complete,  in  others  partial ;  but,  in  all,  they  re- 
quire, like  every  species  of  soil,  cultivation  and  improvement. 

That  mankind  are  designed  for  a  state  of  active  intercourse 
seems  evident  from  this  consideration  alone,  that  every  ac- 
quisition is  progressive  and  very  little  of  our  knowledge  is 
from  intuition.  Even  our  most  common  faculties,  although 
acquired  by  insensible  degrees,  are  the  effect  of  habit.  Every 
great  and  valuable  end  is  attainable  only  by  slow  degrees ;  no 
art  or  science  was  ever  brought  to  perfection  on  a  sudden. 
Nothing  exemplifies  this  position  more  incontestibly  than  lan- 
guage^  emphatically  and  elegantly  defined  "The  joint  energy 
of  our  best  and  noblest  faculties,  reason  and  social  affection." 

The  seeds  or  elements  of  reason  and  social  affection  are 
connate  with  us,  and  inseparable  from  our  constitution  as  intel- 
lectual beings;  they  spring  up,  bud,  blossom,  and  bear  fruit  in 
due  season^  in  proportion  to  the  culture  and  manure  they 
receive;  they  manifest  themselves,  even  in  those  who  have 
never  enjoyed  the  means  and  advantages  of  attaininr/  speech, 
as  absolutely,  though  not  so  copiously,  as  in  other  men: — the 
operations  of  their  minds  in  many  instances  are  demonstrated 


11 

beyond  the  possibility  of  a  doubt— although  inexpressible  by 
themm  M;or^6- , --but  as  the  pathetic  poet,  in  painting  the  bless- 
ings of  language,  and  the  reciprocal  enjoyments  of  conversa- 
tion and  friendship  says, 

"  'Tis  speech  that  ventilates  our  intellectual  fires    .     .     ." 

The  use,  advantage,  and  necessity  of  speech,  or  articulate 
language  to  evenj  individual  in  a  stale  of  moieti/,  are  so 
exceedingly  obvious  and  striking  that  any  farther  attempt 
to  illustrate  them  cannot  but  be  superfluous. 

In  every  station  and  condition  of  life,  transactions  must 
arise,  even  from  our  natural  wants,  to  which  without  this 
faculty  we  should  in  a  great  degree  be  incompetent. 

What  purpose,  then,  more  worthy  of  humanity  than  that  of 
providing  a  remedy  for  a  defect  in  many  of  our  own  species, 
which  is  so  essential  an  obstruction  to  their  happiness? 


DISSERTATION  ON  THE  CURIOUS  AND  IMPORT- 
ANT ART  OF  IMPARTING  LANGUAGE 
TO  THE  DEAF. 


The  catalogue  of  infirmities  and  calamitii  to  which  human 
nature  is  subject,  exhibits,  perhaps,  no  case  of  our  fellow- 
creatures  (insanity  of  mind  excepted)  that  more  forcibly,  or 
more  justly,  excites  our  commiseration  than  that  of  the  deaf 
and  dumb. 

"No  corporeal  defect"  says  a  late  author  on  the  elements 
of  speech,  "renders  an  individual  so  uncomfortable  to  himself 
and  others  as  that  of  deafness." 

The  principal  channel  through  which  instruction  and  knowl- 
edge— the  sources  of  infinite  pleasure — are  usually  conveyed 
to  the  mind,  is  the  ear.  This,  by  some  internal,  unaccounta- 
ble misformation  or  derangement  (of  their  organs  of  hearing) 
is  blocked  up  forever!  to  them  all  nature  wears  a  solemn  si- 
lence; the  consequence  is  that  speech,  that  mark  of  humanity 
that  peculiar  ornament  and  dignity  which  chiefly  distin- 
guishes man  from  the  brute  creation,  is  unattainable  in  the 
common  way,  it  being  evidently,  by  the  imitation  of  the 
sounds  which  we  hear,  that  mankind  ordinarily  acquire  the 
art,  or  the  faculty  of  speech.  In  the  midst  of  multitudes,  they 
may  be  said  to  be  in  solitude. 

Whenever  we  meet  a  person — although  an  entire  stranger — 
in  this  unhappy  predicament,  or  reflect  on  the  melancholy  sit- 
uation of  such  as  were  born  deaf,  and  remain  consequently 
dumb,  does  not  our  sensibility  receive  a  shock  which  is  too 
violent  and  complicated  to  admit  of  description?  Excluded 
from  the  knowledge  of  everything,  except  the  immediate  ob- 
jects of  sense,  apparently  doomed  to  ignorance,  idleness,  and 
uselessness,  a  burden  to  their  friends,  and  to  society,  incapa- 
ble in  such  a  state,  of  that  social  intercourse  and  communica- 


i) 


18 


|) 


tion  of  mind  which  constitute  the  most  pleasing  and  rational 
enjoyment  of  intellectual  beings,  without  distinct  ideas  of 
moral  obligation,  of  their  duty  to  God,  or  the  nature  and  end 
of  their  existence;  what  pitiable  animals  are  men  in  such 
circumstances,  and  how  little  superior  to  the  brutes!  The 
mind  flies  ofif  with  pain,  if  not  with  horror,  from  the  affecting 
idea. 

After  the  consideration  of  their  deplorable  case,  what  pleas- 
ure must  the  benevolent  heart  receive  from  the  information 
that  whatever  may  have  been  the  former  fate  of  such  persons, 
all  such  may  now  be  rescued  from  their  miserable  condition, 
and  enabled  to  become  not  only  happy  and  useful,  but  even 
learned  members  of  society;  for  Providence,  in  infinite  mercy, 
hath  been  pleased  to  point  out  a  method,  by  which  they  may 
be  taught,  in  effect  to  hear,  and  in  reality  to  speak  and  read; 
to  attain  such  a  perfect  knowledge  of  language,  as,  by  observ- 
ing the  motion  of  the  mouth  in  others,  to  converse  intelli- 
gibly viva  voce;  to  express  their  own  sentiments  not  only 
distinctly,  but  elegantly  in  writing,  and  even  in  process  of 
time,  to  translate  one  language  into  another;  consequently  to 
learn  arithmetic,  geography,  mathematics  and  any  other  art 
or  science  (practical  music  excepted);  but  above  all,  to  have  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  the  dignifying  principles  of  morality 
and  vital  religion. 

It  is  remarkable,  notwithstanding  all  that  had  been  written 
by  Plato,  Aristotle,  Dionisius  the  Halicarnassian,  Quinctilian, 
and  others  of  the  ancients,  who  have  investigated  the 
principles  of  language  and  the  formation  of  the  vocal  and 
articulate  sounds,  that  until  about  the  middle  of  the  last  cen- 
tury we  know  of  no  attempts  having  been  made  in  this  ex- 
traordinary art,  and  at  that  time  only  in  a  few  instances;  it 
existed  then  indeed  chiefly  in  theory.  There  were,  however, 
some  instances  of  successful  practice. 

Let  us  consider  the  cause  of  the  want  of  speech  in  those  who 
are  deaf  and  dumb,  and  also  their  natural  capacities  compared 
with  man's  capacity  in  general;  persuaded  that  a  little  reflec- 
tion on  those  points  will  be  sufficient  to  convince  the  most 
incredulous  that  there  is  not,  in  the  nature  of  things,  any  physi- 
cal impossibility  in  teaching  such  to  converse  intelligibly,  as 


14 


many,  who  have  not  thought  upon  the  subject,  are  apt  to 
imagine. 

The  dumb  (in  general),  are  not  so  from  a  deficiency  in  the 
organs  of  speech;  the  sole  cause  of  their  misfortune  is  a  devia- 
tion of  nature,  in  the  construction  of  that  intricate  and  most 
unintelligible  part  of  the  human  frame,  the  organs  of  hearing. 

This  part  is  acknowledged  by  all  anatomists  to  be  so  com- 
plicated, so  prodigiously  nice  in  its  formation,  that  their  knowl- 
edge of  its  nature,  of  the  peculiar  uses  of  the  respective  com- 
ponent particles,  and  of  the  operations  of  sound,  are  very 
imperfect  compared  with  their  knowledge  of  the  other  parts 
of  our  wonderful  machine. 

The  results  of  all  their  dissections  and  their  researches  into 
the  principles  of  this  sense,  and  its  organs,  amounts  to  little 
more  than  ascertaining  the  positions  of  the  various  internal 
parts,  without  being  able  to  agree  in  accounting  for  the  con- 
veyance of  the  impressions  of  sound:  the  auditory  nerve  is 
doubtless  the  most  immediate,  essential  instrument  of  the 
sense  of  hearing,  but  the  various  avenues  to  it  are  so  marvel- 
lously intricate,  that  the  most  minute  impediment  in  either 
may  render  it  inaccessible  to  sound. 

The  tympanum,  or  cover  to  the  whole  of  the  interior  ear,  is 
the  first  portal  of  admission, — if  I  may  so  express  it— on  the 
due  tension  and  condition  of  which  any  further  entrance 
greatly  depends;  the  use  of  this  is  principally  to  guard  the 
auditory  nerve,  brain  and  inward  parts  of  the  ear,  from 
outward  injury  by  cold,  dust,  etc.,  and  hath  been,  not  unaptly 
compared  by  some  to  glass  windows,  being  pervious  to  sound, 
as  those  to  light;  that  this  is  its  principle  use,  hath  been 
proved  by  experiment  upon  animals,  who  after  the  tym- 
panum was  broken,  did  not  hear  the  worse  for  some  con- 
siderable time,  that  is,  until  some  other  causes,  such 
as  cold,  impaired  the  parts  within;  but  for  passage 
of  sound  to  the  auditory  nerve,  by  which  the  sense 
is  conveyed  to  the  brain,  it  is  requisite  that  this  mem- 
brane be  hard  stretched,  otherwise  the  laxness  will  deaden 
or  damp  the  sound;  to  preserve  this  due  tension  is  the 
use  of  the  malleus  particularly,  which  being  fixed  to  a  disten- 
sible muscle,  stretches  the  surface  of  the  tympanum  in  the 


Puulic  Archives  cf  Nova  S 
HAi,!rAX.  N.  S^ 


15 


I 


I 

1 


centre,  and  by  drawing  it  inward,  transforms  it  from  a  plane 
to  a  conoid,  within  the  same  circumference;  and  so  keeps  it 
in  due  order.  The  want  of  this  tension,  from  the  misfornia- 
tion,  or  straining  of  those  extremely  delicate  parts — often 
times,  no  doubt,  by  the  convulsive  motions  before  birth — is, 
perhaps,  the  most  frequent  cause  of  want  of  hearing,  although 
many  causes  are  assignable,  and  it  is  for  this  reason  that  some 
deaf  persons  hear  speech  a  little,  when  a  drum  beats  near 
them,  or  when  in  a  carriage  running  on  pavement,  that  do  not 
hear  at  all  at  other  times;  because  the  violent  percussion  of 
the  air  beats  in  the  tympanum  to  a  -juitable  degree,  as  wind 
fills  and  expands  the  sails  of  a  ship,  which  otherwise  hang 
loose  and  flaccid. 

The  causes,  however,  of  deafness,  both  natural  and  adven- 
titious, may  be  as  various  as  the  numerous  respective  minute 
parts  on  which  hearing  depends,  and  being  internal,  and  not 
to  be  investigated  by  sight,  it  is  not  always  possible  to  deter- 
mine precisely  where  the  defect  lies,  nor  indeed,  if  it  were,  by 
reason  of  its  inaccessibleness,  to  remedy  it. 

Neither  is  it  within  the  compass  of  the  present  design  to 
treat  fully  on  the  sense  of  hearing;  but  only  to  touch  upon  the 
subject  so  far  as  might  be  necessary  for  some  to  understand 
how  easily  that  part  of  the  bodily  system  is  disordered,  and 
in  order  to  lead  the  mind  to  attend  to  the  important  conse- 
quences thereof. 

Be  the  cause  of  want  of  hearing  natural,  or  by  subsequent 
accident,  what  it  may,  the  certain  effect  is  destitution  or  priva- 
tion of  the  common  faculty  of  speech.  Being  dumb  is  only 
the  consequence  of  being  deaf,  not  an  independent  defect,  nor 
owing  to  any  infallible  sympathy  of  the  nerves  of  hearing  and 
those  of  the  tongue,  as  Montaigne  and  many  of  the  ancients 
supposed.  Many  have  remained  dumb  who  were  not  born 
deaf,  but  who  have  lost  their  hearing  in  infancy,  before  they 
had  acquired  speech,  for  indeed  we  are  all  born  dumb,  that  is, 
speechless,  for  a  time.  The  loss  of  hearing  also  at  any  age  will 
in  time  incur  the  loss  of  speech,  either  totally  or  partially. 

The  capacities  for  attaining  oral,  or  spoken  language,  be- 
sides the  sense  of  hearing,  are  competent  powers  of  mind,  the 
voice,  and  the  common  organs  of  speech.    Now  in  healthy  per- 


Archivcs  rf  f^.v.i  Scotia 

HAIIFAX..   M.  S. 


ll) 


sons  usually  called  dumb,  there  is  no  defect  in  either  of  these 
capacities,  but  the  difficulty  hath  always  been  to  invent  or  cre- 
ate a  substitute  for  that  sense  (hearing)  by  which  others  arc  en- 
abled to  imitate  sounds  made  significant  by  compact,  or  words. 
This  difficulty  hath  been,  until  lately — for  so  I  call  the  last 
century — deemed  insuperable,  but  experience  hath  at  last 
evinced  the  contrary.  Let  us  take  a  summary  view  of  those 
capacities  just  mentioned,  in  their  order.  First  the  powers  of 
the  mind,  or  soul.  These  are  all  comprised  in  the  ability  to 
perceive,  and  to  will:  and  of  perception  and  volition  all  lan- 
guage is  only  a  representation. 

The  other  senses  of  seeing,  feeling,  tasting,  and  smelling 
enable  men  to  perceive  and  distinguish  space,  solidity,  figure, 
extension,  motion,  duration,  succession,  color,  etc.,  as  well  as 
all  substances,  and  their  qualities,  although  they  know  not 
their  articulate  forms  or  names,  if  naturally  without  hearing. 
It  follows  then,  that,  when  reason  "that  Heaven-lighted  lamp" 
is  given,  the  power  to  compare,  compound,  enlarge,  and  ab- 
stract, consequently  the  inclination  to  examine,  measure,  com- 
pute, choose  or  refuse,  approve  or  disapprove,  must  be  the 
necessary  effect.  Who  will  not  allow,  that  naturally  deaf  per- 
sons are  curiously  inquisitive  and  observant;  and  as  capable 
as  any  others  of  distinguishing  hardness  from  softness,  mo- 
tion from  rest,  unity  from  numbers,  order  from  irregularity, 
beauty  from  deformity,  smiles  from  frowns,  grief  from  joy, 
sweetness  from  bitterness,  and  in  short  (excepting  those  of 
sounds)  all  painful  sensations  from  pleasurable?  Who  will 
deny,  when  they  invariably,  from  the  dictates  of  their  own 
minds,  or  from  the  example  and  representation  of  others, 
avoid  or  decline  whatever  is  or  may  be  hurtful,  disgustful,  or 
ugly  and  unpleasing;  and  cheerfully  seek,  embrace  and  prefer 
what  hath  a  rational  probability  of  being  innocent,  agreeable 
and  eligible;  that  they  manifest,  as  clearly  as  hearing  men,  the 
powers  of  perception,  both  by  sensation  and  reflection,  and  of 
volition;  which  comprehend  all  the  leading  powers  of  the 
soul. 

The  generality  of  the  world  are  apt  suddenly,  but  mistakenly 
to  combine  the  idea  of  idiotism  with  that  of  the  state  of  the 
deaf  and  dumb,  whereas  no  greater  error  can  subsist,  as  may 


If 


17 


If 


plainly  ai)pear  by  the  instances  of  perfection  to  which  many 
have  arrived  in  language,  and  other  arts,  as  well  as  in  the 
sciences.  The  truth  is,  that  the  scale  of  intellectual  compre- 
hensions, or  understandings,  in  them,  is  as  variously  gradu- 
ated as  in  other  persons;  many  of  them  indeed  possess  a  (juick- 
ness  of  apprchensi(jn.  a  scope  of  imagination  and  sagacity, 
above  the  common  standard  among  those  who  are  not  natur- 
ally deaf. 

The  voice  is  the  next  requisite;  the  source  and  fountain 
of  this  are  the  lungs,  which  it  is  well  known,  are  the  primary 
efficient  cause  of  respiration  or  breathing;  voice  is  only  breath 
made  sonorous  in  its  passage  through  the  wind-pipe,  by  the 
contraction  of  that  interior  part  of  the  larynx  called  the  glottis. 
which  is  a  small  chink  of  a  gristly  tremulous  substance,  pecu- 
liarly fitted  for  the  production  of  sound  by  the  vibration  of 
air  upon  its  sides,  and  through  its  orifice,  which  are  capaljle 
of  such  extension  and  contraction,  firmness  or  relaxation,  as 
may  be  necessary  for  effecting  the  different  vocal  sounds. 

None  of  these  parts  on  which  the  voice  depends  have  nec- 
essarily any  immediate  connection  with  the  organs  of  hearing, 
consequently,  they  may  be  perfect,  while  those  are  imperfect, 
and  dumb  men  may  have  as  good  voices,  naturally,  as  any 
other  persons;  the  fact  is,  that  they  not  only  have,  but  that 
they  use  them  also;  although  very  uncouthly  and  without  ar- 
ticulation until  instructed.  Such  children  also  cry  and  laugh, 
exactly  as  all  other  children  do. 

The  organs  of  speech  are  the  only  remaining  necessary 
qualifications. 

It  is  by  the  various  positions  and  actions  of  these  that  articu- 
lation is  effected ;  therefore  they  are  all  essentially  requisite  in 
oral  language;  every  impulse  of  voice  receiving  its  particular 
modification,  or  alteration,  from  those  different  positions. 

They  are  too  well  known  to  need  description;  every  one 
having  these  organs  in  proper  proportion,  viz:  tongue,  lips, 
lower  jaw,  teeth,  gums,  palate,  uvula  and  nostrils,  is  capable 
of  effecting  all  the  configurations  that  produce  the  elementary 
sounds;  which  any  one  may  very  easily  convince  himself  of, 
only  by  running  over  with  the  voice,  the  alphabet,  and  observ- 
ing the  different  action  of  these  organs  respectively. 


18 


A  complete  set  of  these  instruments,  in  perfect  symmetry,  is 
g-cnerally  found  to  bo  possessed  by  the  dumb: — for  their  want 
of  speech,  as  hath  been  before  asserted,  doth  not  proceed  from 
any  impediment  herein,  but  merely  from  want  of  hearing. 

And  here  it  is  impossible  in  reflecting  upon  the  infinite  wis- 
dom and  contrivance  manifested  in  the  construction  of  these 
organs  of  speech,  and  those  of  hearing,  not  to  be  struck  with 
astonishment  and  realize  that  "The  hand  that  made  us  is  di- 
vine, so  fearfully  and  wonderfully  are  we  made." 

Having  now  as  proposed,  cursorily  considered  the  powers  of 
the  mind,  the  voice  and  the  organs  of  si)cech,  and  observed 
that  the  predicament  in  which  the  dumb  in  general  are,  doth 
not  result  from  any  deficiency  in  either  of  those  capacities,  it 
may  clearly  be  inferred  that  where  that  is  the  case  if  any  substi- 
tute for  the  sense  of  hearing  can  be  adopted,  the  faculty  or 
art  of  communication  by  speech  may  be  acquired  by  them,  al- 
though with  greater  application  and  difficulty,  and  longer  per- 
severance than  by  those  who,  their  ears  being  perfect,  are 
enabled  to  regulate  and  modulate  their  voices,  by  imitation, 
according  to  their  perception  of  sounds. 

It  is  by  the  respective  nerves  of  each  sense  that  the  several 
perceptions  of  all  their  objects  are  conducted  to  the  brain; 
hearing  by  the  auditory  nerve,  seeing  by  the  optic,  tasting  by 
those  of  the  tongue  and  palate,  smelling  by  the  olfactory  and 
feeling  by  the  genus  iiervo^um  or  nervous  system,  which  per- 
vades and  overspreads  the  whole  structure  of  the  body.  If 
by  the  optic  nerve,  a  perception  can  be  conveyed  to  the  brain, 
which  shall  virtually  excite  the  same  idea  in  the  soul 
as  that  excited  by  the  conveyance  of  the  auditory  nerve, 
the  first  and  principal  step  is  gained;  which  is  to  under- 
stand the  meaning  of  a  word  or  words,  by  the  form,  instead 
of  the  sound. 

The  signification  of  words  in  general  is  merely  arbitrary, 
there  being  no  analogy  or  natural  resemblance  of  the  sounds 
to  the  thing  signified,  for  instance,  horf^e,  man,  ball,  bat,  cow, 
etc.  It  is  by  repeating  the  sounds,  and  pointing  out  the  object 
to  children  universally,  that  they  come  by  degrees  to  under- 
stand what  those  sounds  signify.  By  the  same  method,  mutatis 
mutandis,  changing  sounds  for  forms,  may  children  without 


19 


hearing,  be  taught  to  know  the  names  and  qualities  of  every- 
thing animate  and  inanimate,  an<l  understand  them  when  ut- 
tered or  written,  which  is  the  foundation  of  all  language  what- 
ever. It  is  true  that  the  forms  of  words,  even  in  writing  or 
print,  arc  not  likenesses  of  the  tilings  they  are  made  to  rep- 
resent, any  more  than  sounds  are,  hut  they  are  as  much  so; 
and  are  found  more  completely  convenient  for  the  purposes  of 
language,  than  absolute  pictures,  or  hieroglyphics;  but  this  re- 
lates only  to  written  not  oral  language.  Words,  however,  have 
a  form  in  utterance,  as  well  as  in  characters,  and  this  form  is, 
by  habit,  discernible  to  the  eye.  Of  some  words  much  more  so 
undoubtedly  than  others;  for  example,  how  easily  may  the 
form  of  the  word'7;«M7"  be  perceived;  that  is,  the  position  and 
action  of  the  organs  in  forming  it.  It  is  the  effect  of  only 
compressing  the  lips  very  closely,  then  letting  fall  the  lower 
jaw  and  lip,  at  the  same  time  breathing  strongly  (so  strongly 
as  to  make  the  vocal  sound). 

Thus  far  respects  only  the  means  of  knowing  what  may  be 
uttered  by  others  without  hearing  them,  but  how  shall  a  deaf 
person  himself  pronounce  or  express  these  sounds  which  he 
hath  never  heard?  Here  the  assistance  of  another  sense  be- 
sides that  of  sight  offers  itself,  and  is  greatly  conducive  to  this 
happy  effect.  I  mean  feeling,  which  is  said  to  be  the  universal 
sense,  the  most  necessary  and  to  which  all  the  others  indeed, 
may  be  reduced,  because  by  the  tact  the  impressions  of  all 
objects  are  made  on  their  respective  organs.  Of  the  use  of 
feeling  in  this  case  some  farther  description  shall  be  given  in 
the  course  of  this  attempt. 

Wherever  nature  has  denied  or  withheld  one  of  the  five 
senses,  she  has  kindly  compensated  by  an  uncommon  degree 
of  perfection  in  the  others.  The  extraordinary  vigilance  of 
those  senses  in  possession  is  very  obvious  in  all  such  instances. 
Thus  the  blind  are  good  musicians  and  mathematicians,  and 
as  such  are  capable  of  forming  just  ideas,  by  sound  and 
touch  of  the  motion,  figure,  size,  and  distance  of  objects,  their 
numbers,  and  relative  proportions.  Now  may  it  not  easily  be 
credited,  that  such  blind  persons  have  a  perfect  notion  of  many 
machines;  such  as  wheel-carriages,  by  feeling  and  handling 
the  different  parts?    Can    they  not   also   determine    by    the 


20 


sounds  they  make  when  passing  over  a  hard  surface,  not 
only  the  distance,  but  the  course  and  velocity  of  such  passing 
carnages,  although  this  be  the  proper  province  of  vision? 
This  faculty,  however,  it  must  be  noticed,  is  the  result  of  habit 
and  repeated  observation. 

As  thus  we  find  the  sense  of  hearing,  aided  by  the  touch,  or 
sense  of  feeling,  can  in  some  instances  do  the  duty  of  the 
eye,  so  we  shall  be  convinced  that  the  sense  of  seeing,  with 
the  same  assistance,  can  do  as  much  for  the  car. 

From  the  supposed  universality  of  speech  and  the  seeming 
facility  with  which  it  is  gradually  acquired  in  childhood,  even 
by  the  most  ignorant  and  uninstructed  in  society,  we  are  apt 
to  consider  language  as  born  with  us,  like  the  senses,  or  rather 
not  to  consider  it  at  all.  The  organs  of  speech  are  as  neces- 
sary for  choosing,  preparing  and  conducting  animal  susten- 
ance to  the  stomach,  as  for  articulation,  and  those  are  the  first 
and  indeed  only  natural  uses  of  them,  strictly  speaking;  the 
latter  is  artificial.  By  articulation  I  do  not  mean  the  utterance 
or  production  of  the  mere  vocal  sounds;  but  the  expression  of 
syllables,  or  words  composed  of  consonants  and  vowels. 

Speech  is  with  every  individual  of  the  human  race  a  gradual 
acquisition ;  we  are  all  mute  at  first,  or  when  nature  pushes  us 
upon  this  theatre  of  life,  although  endowed  with  capacities  and 
dispositions  for  learning  this  and  other  arts.  At  our  birth,  and 
for  a  long  time  after,  have  we  any  more  language  than  any 
irrational  animal?  Are  we  not,  as  we  come  from  the  hands  of 
nature,  a  ^^miitumj^^cus" ;  a  mute  herd,  as  Horace  truly  calls 
us?  As  no  man,  whatever  might  be  his  genius,  was  ever  an 
artist  at  once,  or  complete  master  of  any  art  or  faculty  by  in- 
tuition, or  nature — that  is,  without  instruction,  or  imitation  of 
others,  who  had  by  a  long  succession  of  experiments  and  prac- 
tice, begun  and  completed  the  system;  so,  neither  was  ever  a 
child  born  with  the  faculty  of  speech. 

Articulation,  or  sounds  formed  into  words  of  meaning  is 
therefore  certainly  not  natural  to  mankind,  but  entirely  the 
effect  of  art;  this  art  hath  been  from  rude  beginnings  brought 
to  its  present  degree  of  perfection,  in  a  succession  of  ages  in 
proportion  to  the  multiplication  of  arts,  and  always  keeping 
pace  with  the  progress  of  refinements  in  society. 


21 


There  is  no  such  thing  as  an  universal  language,  unless  we 
allow  inarticulate  cries  (or  sounds),  and  gestures  (or  signs)  to 
be  language;  and  in  that  sense,  the  brutes  may  be  said  to  have 
a  language  as  well  as  mankind. 

If  articulate  language  were  natural  to  man,  must  it  not  fol- 
low that  the  same  would  be  common  to  every  nation,  and 
spoken  spontaneously  by  all  of  the  same  species,  having  the 
organs  of  pronunciation;  and  of  course,  that  persons  born 
deaf  would  have  it  as  perfectly  as  any?— for  they  have  all  fac- 
ulties that  others  enjoy  from  nature,  and  what  in  that  case 
should  hinder  their  possession  of  this? 

It  is  intellect  or  abilities  of  reasoning  and  imitation,  with 
the  powers  of  imagination,  which  form  the  exalted  and  distin- 
guishing prerogative  of  human  nature,  and  thesr,  as  was  be- 
fore obser\'ed,  are  not  wanting  in  persons  born  deaf,  although 
language  always  is,— that  is  without  peculiar  instruction— a 
capacity  also  of  acquiring  every  faculty  or  art  except  music 
and  oratory— which  is  a  species  of  music— with  all  the  neces- 
sary means  of  pronunciation  nature  hath  absolutely,  although 
under  great  disadvantages  indeed,  bestowed  on  them;  but,  by 
want  of  the  perception  of  sounds,  they  are  exactly  in  the  same 
state,  with  respect  to  speech,  which  we  may  suppose  any  per- 
sons would  be  in,  who  were  shut  up,  and  bred  together,  from 
earliest  infancy  in  a  place  and  manner  which  should  render  it 
impossible  for  them  to  hear  any  language  spoken;  that  is,  with- 
out speech. 

Was  Adam  speechless?  Had  he  any  example  by  the  imita- 
tion of  which  he  acquired  language,  to  enable  him  to  give 
names  to  every  living  creature  or  to  answer  the  voice  of  the 
Lord  in  the  garden  of  Eden?  If  Adam  had  this  faculty  by 
nature,  why  not  his  heirs  and  successors  when  thev  arrive  at 
the  state  of  maturity? 

To  this  it  is  replied,  that  many  learned  and  pious  divines 
have  agreed,  that  the  metaphorical  style  so  much  in  use  in  the 
East,  and  with  which  the  Holy  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Testament 
abound,  may  account  for  this:  they  have  accordingly  been  of 
opinion  that  it  is  figurative  expression  not  strictly  historical, 
in  the  same  manner  as  in  the  same  chapter,  the  Immaterial 
Omniscient  Spirit  or  First  Cause,  is  said    to    have    broueht 


22 


every  living  creature  unto  Adam  to  see  what  he  would  call 
them;  and  as  the  serpent's  language  to  Eve,  together  with 
many  other  similar  instances,  more  especially  the  following: 
"And  it  repented  the  Lord  that  he  had  made  man  on  the  earth; 
and  it  grieved  him  at  the  heart,"  which  they  thiiik,  strictly 
speaking — and  so  do  I — cannot  be  possible.  Allowing,  how- 
ever, the  former,  respecting  Adam's  giving  names  to  the  ani- 
mals, to  be  strictly  historical,  the  objection  is  removable  in 
another  way;  for  we  may  well  suppose  and  believe,  that  the 
Infinite  Wisdom  and  Goodness  might  by  a  miraculous  exer- 
tion of  the  same  Almighty  Power,  which  gave  the  first  man 
existence,  also  qualify  him  for  the  state  he  was  in,  by  impart- 
ing to  him  intuitively  such  a  degree  of  language  as  was  neces- 
sary to  his  unprecedented  artless  and  innocent  condition;  as 
the  Apostles  were  instantaneously  inspired  for  a  particular  oc- 
casion, with  the  gift  of  "Tongues" — or  languages; — but  that 
necessity  ceasing,  with  respect  to  his  posterity,  the  miraculous 
gift  of  speech,  without  example,  might  cease  also,  as  it  cer- 
tainly did  to  the  immediate  descendants  of  the  Apostles. 

But,  be  these  reasonings  just  or  erroneous,  whatever  might 
have  been  Adam's  faculties,  we  know  that  his  offspring  do  not 
inherit  any  such,  not  only  for  the  reasons  already  given,  re- 
specting infants, — who,  let  them  be  born  of  what  parents  they 
may,  learn  only  the  language  of  the  people  with  whom  they 
are  brought  up — but,  because  all  the  wild  men  who  have  been 
found  without  society,  have  been  found  also  without  speech, 
of  which  there  are  sundry  instances;  and  because  we  know 
also,  that  many  savage  tribes,  who  are  not  absolutely  without 
society — although  possessed  of  very  few  arts — have  at  this  day 
such  an  imperfect  system  as  plainly  proves  it  a  progressive 
acquisition ;  therefore,  it  matters  not  whether  Adam  had  a  par- 
ticular language  of  articulation,  or  not  ah  initio ;  it  being  evi- 
dent that  the  human  race  have  not  uniformly  and  inevitably  re- 
ceived this  legacy  from  him. 

Having,  it  is  hoped,  obviated  this  scruple,  let  us  proceed, 


"Say  first,  of  God  above,  or  man  below 
What  can  we  reason,  but  from  what  we  know." 


-Pope. 


23 


-) 


How  manifest  a  truth  is  it  "that  man  differs  more  iunu  man. 
than  man  from  beast?"  because  by  that  cultivation  of  his  ca- 
pacities, which  is  called  education,  he  is,  in  a  manner,  meta- 
morphosed into  almost  another  and  superior  species! 

It  is  supposed  by  the  author  of  the  "Origin  and  Pro.cjress 
of  Language"  (a  very  learned,  curious  and  philosophical  work) 
and  the  supposition  supported  with  great  ingenuity  and  prob- 
ability, that  mankind  have  been  gradually  emerging  from  a 
state  of  barbarism;  that  thev  have  from  being  original! v  wild, 
savage  creatures,  been  tamed  and  humanized;  and  improved 
by  cultivation,  and  the  introduction  of  the  various  arts  found 
by  experience  necessary  to  society;  but  that  society  may  have 
existed  for  ages  before  a  system  of  articulate  language  was 
invented.  In  this  there  is  certainly  no  impossibility,  as  he  says, 
inasmuch  as  persons  remaining  absolutely  dumb  are  known 
to  be  capable  of  living  together  in  society,  of  communicating 
in  some  degree  the  knowledge  of  Uieir  wants,  of  carrying  on 
conjointly  any  sort  of  business,  and  of  governing  and 
directing. 

It,  however,  doth  not  appear  to  me  romantic  to  suppose, 
with  him,  that  at  first,  in  a  state  of  nature,  the  substitutes  for 
language  were  murmuring,  inarticulate  sounds;  that  barbar- 
ous nations  could  only  express  their  different  passions  by  dif- 
ferent cries,  similar  to  the  instances  we  are  acquainted  with  in 
the  war-ivhoop,  the  cry  of  success,  and  others  in  practice 
among  the  American  Indians;  that  articulation  or  the  dividing 
by  consonants,  the  continuity  of  the  vocal  sounds,  v.as  at  first 
very  simple. 

The  vowels  which  are  the  first  of  the  elemental  sounds,  are 
always  uttered  with  little  or  no  action  of  the  mouth,  beinff 
nothing  else  but  breath  vocalized,  by  the  vibration  of  the  in- 
terior parts  of  the  throat,  and  passing  through  the  organs  of 
the  mouth  in  certain  peculiar  positions;  thus  A  is  only  breath 
blown  hard,  with  an  o\  en  mouth:  0  is  sounded  in  like  man- 
ner, only  by  forming  the  lips  into  a  circle;  the  other  vowels, 
with  little  variation  are  upon  the  same  easy  principle.  The 
junction  of  consonants  to  these  vowels,  by  a  further  modi- 
fication of  the  several  positions  and  actions  of  the  tongue, 
teeth,  palate,  and  lips,  assisted  by  the  nose  and  tliroat  more 


•Jl 


or  less,  forms  those  alterations  of  the  voice,  or  division  of 
the  continuity  of  vocal  sounds,  which  is  properly  articulation; 
without  this  speech  would  only  be  a  cluster  of  vocal  cries,  with 
little  distinction. 

The  vowels  being  the  foundation  of  speech  and  uttered  with 
so  little  art,  or  action  of  the  mouth,  is  doubtless  the  reason  that 
among  savages,  language  (if  it  deserves  to  be  so  called)  chiefly 
consists  of  vowels,  for  they  have  not  advanced  the  art  to  any 
great  degree;  they  use  words  like  young  children  who  are 
beginning  to  «peak,  without  any  connectives;  they  have  no 
syntax,  but  in  lieu  thereof  a  vast  variety  of  tones,  and  abund- 
ance of  action.  This  perhaps  hath  been,  at  one  time  or  an- 
other, the  state  of  language  in  all  those  nations  or  tribes  of 
mankind,  from  which  the  present  proud  nations  of  the  earth 
have  proceeded.  That  these  uncultivated  tribes,  and  all  others, 
are  the  offspring  of  Adam,  those  who  make  the  before  men- 
tioned objection  must  consequently  allow. 

The  history  of  man  in  various  ages  and  countries,  and  the 
nature  of  things,  sufificiently  prove  that  the  only  natural  lan- 
guage of  our  species  is  a  variety  of  vocal  sounds  and  tones, 
significant  of  our  wants  or  desires,  accompanied  by  signs  with 
the  head,  hand,  etc,  and  the  management  of  the  countenance, 
so  as  (imperfectly)  to  express  the  disposition  of  mind,  and 
the  will.  In  process  of  time,  those  muttering  noisec  have  been 
articulated  to  such  a  number  as  the  sensible  objects  then  exist- 
ing required  names  for,  which  names  were,  it  is  probable,  sim- 
ply descriptive,  at  first,  of  their  most  striking  qualities,  or 
appearances:  as  children  are  observed  to  distinguish  animals 
by  their  different  noises,  roarings,  or  bleatings,  before  they 
know  the  arbitrary  appellations  of  such  animals :  For  instance, 
bow  wow.,  for  dog;  baa^  for  lamb;  moo^  for  cow,  and  such  like. 
Thus  language  grew  by  degrees,  on  which  alterations  were 
grafted,  and  in  proportion  to  the  necessity,  variety  of  words  en- 
sued, until  by  an  infinite  multiplication  of  such  articulate 
sounds,  method  became  indispensibly  necessary  to  avoid  con- 
fusion, to  denote  qualities,  action,  time,  quantity,  connection, 
and,  by  "substance,  energy  and  subject"  to  convey  ideas  in- 
telligibly. 

The  method  used  in  teaching  those,  who  are,  by  nature, 


SJO 


I 


without  hearing,  to  speak,  and  the  progress  observable  in 
them,  may  serve  in  some  measure  to  confirm  this: — they  at 
first  use  cries,  only,  or  uncouth  irregular  exertions  of  voice, 
with  signs,  until  art,  in  other  words,  precept,  and  exam- 
ple, regulate  these  sounds: — the  first  advance  is  made  by  an 
ingenious  method  of  sounding  the  vowels,  as  the  notes  of 
tiie  gamut  are  commonly  at  first  learned,  without  any  connec- 
tion with  time,  or  that  arrangement  which  is  called  tune. 
When  the  five  vowels  can  be  distinctly  sounded  and  discrim- 
inated, then  an  easy  monosyllable  is  learned,  as  ha,  he,  etc.  ;  for, 
besides  the  distinct  sound  of  the  vowel,  it  is  only  the  compres- 
sion of  the  lips,  before  utterance  of  the  vowel,  that  makes  the 
syllable,  ha  and  so  on. 

Having  accjuired  syllables,  of  the  combination  of  which  the 
longest  word  or  pollysyllable  is  made,  all  words,  of  course, 
may  be  pronounced: — for  example,  taking  first  a  word  of  one 
syllable.  Suppose  the  learner  to  be  perfect  in  pronouncing  ha  ? 
then  by  placing  the  tongue  in  such  a  position  as  to  add  t — 
which  is  no  more  than  pressing  the  top  of  the  tongue  close 
against  the  upper  gum — the  word  hat  is  formed;  thus  articu- 
lation of  one  word  is  learned,  in  which  two  out  of  three  letters 
are  consonants.  Being  perfect  in  the  pronunciation,  he  next 
attains  the  idea,  which  this  form  of  articulated  breath  conveys, 
by  having  the  object  or  thing  itself  placed  before  his  eyes,  and 
pointed  at;  thus  he  knows  the  name  of  hat,  and  when  he  sees 
it  again,  or  when  the  idea  of  the  thing  so  called  occurs  to  his 
mind,  he  knows  how  to  utter  its  name.  He  soon  easily  learns 
to  distinguish  persons,  as  Charles,  William,  John,  by  the  pre- 
positive pronouns  singular,  I,  you,  he,  also  the  words  signify- 
ing the  most  common  and  familiar  actions,  as  eat,  drink,  walk  ; 
next  the  connection  of  substantive  and  attributive  or  noun  and 
verb,  as  I,  (Charles)  eat, you  (  WilUam)drink,he(John)walks  ; 
then,  supposing  him  first  to  have  learned  the  form,  in  writing 
and  speech,  and  the  meaning  of  bread,  he  composes  a  com- 
plete sentence,  as  I  eat  hread,  and  afterwards  sentences  less 
simple.  This  '  the  natural  progress  of  the  art  of  speech,  and 
whoever  will  take  the  pains  to  attend  to  the  gradual  advances 
therein  made,  by  children  in  general,  cannot  fail  to  observe  it. 


26 


The  chief  difference  is,  that  such  as  hear,  make  a  variety  of 
ex[)eriments  with  their  organs  of  speech,  to  imitate  the  sounds 
they  hear  before  they  hit  upon  the  right  position  to  effect  it; 
but,  at  length,  by  perseverance,  and  repeatedly  comparing  by 
their  ear  their  own  production  of  sounds  with  that  of  others, 
they  arrive  at  just  articulation,  generally,  however,  long  before 
they  know  the  nature  of  many  things  whose  names  they  pro- 
nounce; beginning  usually  with  those  easy  words  in  which 
the  consonants  are  labials,  or  formed  wholly  by  the  lips,  as 
Pa  pa^  Mama,  etc.,  whereas  those  who  are  void  of  hearing, 
learn,  or  are  taught  to  vocalize  and  articulate  their  breath  by 
feeling  and  seeing  instead  of  by  the  other  sense,  and  arrive  at 
the  knowledge  of  the  connection  and  import  of  words  and 
sentences,  by  inculcation  and  study  of  their  forms,  in  charac- 
ters, and  in  enunciation,  in  lieu  of  the  more  easy  mode,  which 
hearing  persons  enjoy.  The  former  may  be  compared  to  per- 
sons who  acquire  the  art  of  music  by  rote,  or  merely  by  their 
own  imitative  powers  and  endeavors,  the  latter  of  those  who 
are  taught  it  by  instructors,  systematically. 

What  is  the  inference  from  the  preceding  propositions?  The 
inference  intended  is,  that  the  only  natural  language,  already 
described,  may  be  methodized  and  formed  into  a  practicable, 
intelligible  system,  by  all  possessed  of  understanding  and  of 
the  instruments  of  voice  and  articulation. 

Taking  for  granted,  that  it  will  be  allowed,  with  respect  to 
those  who  are  blessed  with  the  usual  important  sense  of  hear- 
ing, it  remains  only  to  be  proved  that  it  is  practicable  and  in- 
telligible likewise  by  the  deaf.  Is  it  incredible  that,  a  person 
void  of  hearing,  may  by  feeling  the  vibration,  or  efficient  cause 
of  vocal  sounds  in  the  throat,  inwardly  and  by  application  of 
the  touch  outwardly,  in  contradistinction  to  the  mere  impulses 
of  breath,  learn  by  perseverance  and  assistance  to  know 
when  he  gives  the  different  tremulous  motions  of  the  air, 
which  we  distinguish  by  the  vocal  sounds  «,  c,  /,  o,  ii?  Is  it 
incredible  that  such  a  person  afterwards  by  attentively  look- 
ing at  others  when  speaking,  and  by  seeing  how  they  place 
their  lips  and  transpose  their  tongue,  occasionally  to  the  teeth, 
gums,  and  palate,  for  the  combination  of  consonants  and  vow- 
els, should  learn  in  time  to  imitate  the  pronunciation  of  all  the 


I 


27 

various    syllables  which    immediately    compose    words,  and 
eventually  language? 

All  words  are  modified  undulations  of  air,  made  significant 
to  the  mind,  by  social  compact,  or  consent.  The  first  step  to 
language  is  to  form  them,  the  next  to  comprehend  their  mean- 
ing. 

It  hath  been  already  premised  that  vowels  are  the  funda- 
mentals, and  expressed  with  little  or  no  action  of  the  loquelary 
organs,  like  separate  simple  notes  in  a  flute,  independent  of 
time,  flats,  sharps,  rests,  etc.  That  when  these  are  learned,  by 
the  method  just  hinted  at,  articulation  of  the  most  easy  sylla- 
bles is  next  to  be  inculcated,  showing  the  form  in  writir.g,  as 
well  as  in  utterance  at  the  same  time ;  thus  bringing  the  pupil 
gradually  on  from  syllables  to  words;  from  words  to  sentences, 
first  simple,  then  compound,  until  he  becomes  capable  of 
every  kind  of  composition. 

It  may  well  be  supposed,  that  the  method  of  instructing  such 
deaf  persons  must  be  extremely  tedious  and  laborious  to  the 
teacher,  and  the  greatest  possible  trial  of  his  patience;  but  it 
is  the  purpose  of  this  essay  to  prove  that  it  hath  been  reduced 
to  practice,  and  that  it  is  practised  with  great  success  at  pres- 
ent, rather  than  to  attempt  to  describe  particularly  the  ingen- 
ious mode  in  use. 

If  a  person  can  be  brought  to  speak  at  all,  and  is  not  defi- 
cient in  intellect,  application  and  perseverance  in  a  judicious 
method  may  enable  him,  most  undoubtedly,  to  make  vast  im- 
provements in  the  faculty  of  speech:  this  is  demonstrated  in 
the  removal  of  the  most  violent  impediments  of  stammerers. 
The  greatest  orator  of  Greece  was  at  first  almost  an  unintelli- 
gible stutterer;  by  long  labor,  and  indefatigable  perseverance, 
he  overcame  all  difficulties,  and  in  spite  of  nature  became  the 
paragon  of  eloquence.  His  soliloquizing  on  the  sea-coast,  near 
the  roaring  surges,  with  pebbles  in  his  mouth  (if  true)  strongly 
supports  the  argument  that  the  use  of  articulate  language  is 
not  only  not  natural,  but  slowly  progressive,  and  of  difficult 
acquisition,  although  it  may  be  attained,  by  right  application 
and  long  practice,  even  under  the  greatest  disadvantages. 
'''Labor  omnia  vincit.^* 


Public  Archives  cf  ^iJV3  Scotia 
HALIFAX,  N.  S. 


